Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)

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  • Andi67
    Andi67 Member Posts: 423
    edited May 2016

    Caryn - Miles is beautiful. You are SO blessed. I have grandchildren on my bucket list (see "bucket list" thread) and I am really, really, hoping that I live to have one. I tell my boys (who are in college) that if they happen to get someone pregnant, it's okay... I'll take the baby. I am sure they think I am crazy. (I know my husband does)  Anyway.... I know you enjoy every second with him, and I love the image of your granddaughter calling out to you that way. Maybe I should start thinking about what my future grandchildren can call me.... positive thinking....

    Stefanie - your trip sounds amazing! Climbing Mt. Kilamajaro is also on my bucket list. What a wonderful family vacation... and it's great that you are doing it now! We have a sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands planned for New Year with all four of our kids. 8 days of sailing on a private catamaran with a captain and a chef. I am really exited about it but worried.... I feel great right now... but hope that things don't go south in the meantime. My husband is turning 50 in a week and I am turning 50 next February so it's a joint celebration.  I definitely want to see pictures of your trip!

    Hi to everyone else and hope you have a great weekend!

    XO

    Andrea


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  • ABeautifulSunset
    ABeautifulSunset Member Posts: 990
    edited May 2016

    Andi, that trip also sounds amazing. Is your current treatment Exemestane and Faslodex? I did almost four years on that. I was NED and had no side effects. It was a great combo for me.

    Enjoy your sail!

    Stefanie

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  • Andi67
    Andi67 Member Posts: 423
    edited May 2016

    Stefanie - My current treatment is Herceptin/Perjeta every three weeks (although I do skip every once in a while) and Xgeva every 6 weeks. It has been a good combo for me, too... limited side effects. My joints and muscles are a little stiff, but I think I have gotten used to it. I'm almost as active as I used to be...I work fulltime... etc. I feel very lucky, but in the back of my mind I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop! We took the kids to Spain and Italy last June... .. and to Hawaii the Thanksgiving before that. As you mentioned, it is all expensive, but I just feel like I need to do it while I can!

    XO

    Andrea

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited May 2016

    Thank you all for the kind words about Miles. He is a real cutie, but I acknowledge my bias.

    I love reading about travel plans! I truly believe that travel enriches us in almost every way. With school out in just a few weeks, and our labor dispute settled, I finally made some travel plans last night. My dad has had a rough year, health wise, so I will be spending time with him in NJ. My older dd and granddaughter will go too, but not stay as long as I will. I will also spend a week taking a course on technology and the English language arts curriculum. As usual, the summer will fly by. I will have a slightly different grade level assignment next year, so preparing for that will occupy me as well.

    Happy travels to all and enjoy every little thing

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  • Texasrose53
    Texasrose53 Member Posts: 354
    edited May 2016

    Caryn, He is a precious Baby!!! I see some spoiling going on!!!Smile

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  • 3-16-2011
    3-16-2011 Member Posts: 559
    edited May 2016

    stefani awesome trip plan. I hope we get pictures.

    Caryn Beautiful story and picture. I swear I can smell the new baby smell from here.

    Peace

    Mary

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2016

    Went to Bermuda last week, and absolutely fell in love with it. Very hilly; so lots of walking and stairs, but the beaches and caves made it worth it. Highly recommend it if anyone is looking for somewhere to go.

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    image

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  • Texasrose53
    Texasrose53 Member Posts: 354
    edited May 2016

    Went to New York City for a Mother/Daughter get-away this past weekend! Making memories!!! We had a great time!!!

    image

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  • PinkwarriorgoddessTeeTee
    PinkwarriorgoddessTeeTee Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2016

    this post has given me much hope. I just found out from a CT that after 6 years it's spread to liver, right breast & bones after left breast mastectomy 6 years ago. I must admit I'm scared & worried for my daughters 9 & 16. My husband commuted suicide 1 year ago. So I'm so scared to not be here for my children. I am strong and a survivor so I plan to fight this awful diseas with all my power. Positive mindset will get me through tji

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  • DivineMrsM
    DivineMrsM Member Posts: 9,620
    edited May 2016

    TeeTee, I am sorry to learn of your progression. It is a lot to take in the first few weeks and months. My heart goes out to you and I hope you find the insight, information and inspiration you need here on this forum

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  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 1,562
    edited May 2016

    Cancer is never fair but this is so f***ing

    You sound so strong. I am in awe of you.

    Brenda E

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  • scrunchthecat
    scrunchthecat Member Posts: 269
    edited May 2016

    Photos from this weekend!

    image

    image

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2016

    PinkwarriorgoddessTeeTee-

    There is so much hope in these forums, and we send our thoughts to you during this time. You sound so strong, and we're all here to support you!

    The Mods

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  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 2,176
    edited May 2016

    Wow! Everyone's travel plans and pictures have me soooo inspired! I've never been much of anywhere besides Mexico. But hope very soon to change that. TeeTee, Good glory my heart aches for you. I am so so sorry for all of the hell you are going through and I'll say a special prayer tonight. Come back often as this is a great place for support. Hang in there, one day at a time.

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  • Bliss58
    Bliss58 Member Posts: 1,154
    edited May 2016

    Nancy, beautiful Bermuda photos! That's another destination I'd like to visit. Love all the travel photos and memories being made; keep them coming. TeeTee, my heart goes out to you for all you've been through this past year and now progression, but I'm glad you've found us! So much hope, support and inspiration here. Cancer sucks, but you are strong and you can do this!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2016

    TeeTee -- I'm sorry that you have to be here, but these boards have really been a good resource for me. I hope you'll find them to be the same.

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  • singlemom1
    singlemom1 Member Posts: 434
    edited May 2016

    Tee Tee, sending my support. What a very very difficult couple of years. I hope that you start hearing some positive news soon. I am thinking of you

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited May 2016

    Tee Tee, I'm so sorry for the difficulties you have faced in the past year. Hard enough to go through such a difficult loss, but then to have the cancer issue on top of that is a lot to bear. I hope you find the support you need here on these boards, and I hope you have a good doctor who will work with you and listen to you and find a treatment that works. As scary as things seem, there are some good treatments. I was diagnosed back at the beginning of the year, have been through a bunch of Taxol treatments and Herceptin/Perjeta and I'm now feeling great (and I had cancer just about everywhere - liver, lungs, bones, thyroid). I'll have scans again at the end of June and I'm actually hoping for NED, and my doctor thinks it is very possible. I feel good now, and I can't say the same for five months ago, so things are much better.

    I am loving seeing everyone's photos. Beautiful grandbabies, beautiful beaches, and beautiful people living and loving life. I'm grabbing life by the horns this year too and we have trips planned to the Jersey shore for some beach time, a trip out to British Columbia to go sea kayaking with the killer whales, a trip to Nicaragua in the Fall and a trip to Cozumel next winter. I figured, what the heck am I doing putting all my money into a 401K? I reduced the amount I was saving (though I didn't stop saving completely as I'm still optimistic about hanging around this world for a good number of years) and am using the rest for vacation funds!

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  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 2,176
    edited May 2016

    Thank you DGHoff, I am having a bit of a rough night tonight with emotions, and your optimism has rubbed off on me and given me a lift! I too feel fairly fine these days, but I let my mind take over and get the best of me sometimes. I appreciate all of you wonderful women.

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited May 2016

    Artist, I know how it feels sometimes. If you stop and think too much the mind starts going to dark places. Mostly when that happens, I remind myself that I'm just too busy with life to be sick. So then I go out for a walk or read something funny or do something to get the sad storyteller" in my head to shut up. I also find that some good dark chocolate helps.

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  • Shutterbug73
    Shutterbug73 Member Posts: 791
    edited May 2016

    I bought a car yesterday. I didn't even bat an eye at the 5 year loan terms. The one I was driving was 11 years old and DH will now drive it. The newer one has heated seats. My butt is going to be spoiled this winter.

    I went from not even wanting to buy myself lipstick or clothes because I thought I wouldn't be around to enjoy them to buying a car!

    (Oh my gosh...I bought a car?!?!)

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  • Wendy3
    Wendy3 Member Posts: 1,012
    edited May 2016

    Shutterbug congrats on the car enjoy

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited May 2016

    Enjoy every minute in your new car!

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  • GatorGal
    GatorGal Member Posts: 2,550
    edited May 2016

    shutterbug, way to go! I have 140,000 miles on the car i bought after my stage IV diagnosis! I plan on putting a lot more miles on it! Enjoy every mile you put on that baby

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  • Shutterbug73
    Shutterbug73 Member Posts: 791
    edited May 2016

    Thanks ladies. Gatorgal - I LOVE that! My old car was just about to roll over 200,000. I'm making it my new goal to see the new car get that far as well! Oh the places we will go!

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  • txmom
    txmom Member Posts: 306
    edited May 2016

    Shutterbug, good for you.  I'm thinking of getting a new car too.  I have places to go and people to see.  Woot  Woot!  I love all the vacation photos.  The caverns looked beautiful.  If anyone is looking for a place like that in the States Carlsbad Caverns are beautiful as well or there are also caverns in San Antonio, just smaller but there's lots to do in San Antonio.  Tee Tee so sorry to hear of your progression.  Were you just diagnosed stage iv?  Caryn, Miles is precious.  I want one.  Hopefully one day I'll be a Grandma.  Hope everyone is enjoying their day.

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  • Kandy
    Kandy Member Posts: 1,461
    edited May 2016

    Congratulations Shutterbug on your new purchase. I am sure you will enjoy it. What did you get? Last year my DH wanted to get me a new car. I was driving a Lexus RX. I loved it and had been such a good car. It was great while all the kids were growing up. DH wanted to buy me a new one. I could have cared less. My car was still in good shape so why get a new one, plus we keep our cars for a long time. Figured I wouldn't get enough use out of it before I died, lol. My DH couldn't understand my reasoning so finally I said why buy another one when that one is fine, if I was going to buy something it wouldn't be that. Immediately he said then what do you want? I replied, my dream car is a Lexus IS convertible, lol. The next week it was at my house. I would have normally never got that. So not practical. But I have loved it. I say enjoy the moment.

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  • Shutterbug73
    Shutterbug73 Member Posts: 791
    edited May 2016

    Oh wow Kandy, nice car! And so sweet of your DH to buy it for you!

    I've been driving a 2005 Subaru Legacy and being a creature of habit I bought a 2014 Legacy. I would never have bought it if my husband's car hadn't died (again). He keeps buying lemons and I said "No more". We should have done this last year when his previous car died, but I was not in the right frame of mind to make that kind of purchase then.

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  • GatorGal
    GatorGal Member Posts: 2,550
    edited May 2016

    I'm a Subaru fan, too. Mine is a forester and I love it. Though that Lexus convertible might have to be my next car! That sounds pretty fun!!

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  • Kandy
    Kandy Member Posts: 1,461
    edited May 2016

    image

    It is too sweet. My DD that has Down Syndrome thinks we are the coolest. My DH has done nothing but spoil me for 36 years. He is awesome.

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